The cerebellum is a part of the brain that plays a vital role in most physical movement. Show
This part of the brain helps a person drive, throw a ball, or walk across the room. The cerebellum also assists people with eye movement and vision. Problems with the cerebellum are rare and mostly involve movement and coordination difficulties. This article explains the anatomy, functions, and possible disorders of the cerebellum. It will also offer tips on preserving brain health. The brain is a complex organ. It has three main parts; the cerebrum, the brainstem, and the cerebellum. The cerebellumThe cerebellum is the lower-back part of the brain. It only accounts for around 10% of total brain weight but contains as many as 80% of all neurons in the brain. The cerebrumThe cerebrum participates in higher levels of thinking and action. It is the largest part of the brain and covers the front, top, and upper back of the organ. Four lobes make up the cerebrum, each performing a different job.
The brainstemThe brainstem is the bottom portion of the brain. It is below the cerebrum and connects to the spinal cord. The brainstem accompanies the cerebrum in promoting full physical and mental function. The brainstem manages vital automatic functions, such as breathing, circulation, sleeping, digestion, and swallowing. These are the involuntary processes controlled by the autonomic nervous system. The brainstem also controls reflexes. The cerebellum has several functions relating to movement and coordination, including:
As a result of the close relationship between the cerebellum and movement, the most common signs of cerebellar disorder involve a disturbance in muscle control. Symptoms or signs include:
There are many disorders of the cerebellum, including:
AtaxiaThe main symptom of cerebellum dysfunction is ataxia. Ataxia is a loss of muscle coordination and control. An underlying problem with the cerebellum, such as a virus or brain tumor, can cause these symptoms. Loss of coordination is often the first sign of ataxia, and speech difficulties follow soon after. Other symptoms include:
Several factors can cause ataxia, including:
Sometimes ataxia is reversible when the underlying cause is treatable. In other cases, ataxia resolves without treatment. Learn more about ataxia here. Ataxia by toxinsThe cerebellum is vulnerable to poisons, including alcohol and certain prescription medications. These poisons damage nerve cells in the cerebellum, leading to ataxia. The following toxins might cause ataxia:
Alcohol consumption is the most common cause of toxin ataxia. Ataxia disordersAtaxia disorders are degenerative conditions. They can be either genetic or sporadic. A genetic mutation causes genetic or hereditary ataxia. There are several different mutations and types. These disorders are rare; even the most common type, Friedreich’s ataxia, affects only 1 in 40,000 people. Sporadic ataxia is a group of degenerative movement disorders for which there is no evidence of inheritance. This condition usually progresses slowly and can develop into multiple system atrophy. It presents a range of symptoms, including:
These disorders usually get worse over time. There is no specific treatment to soothe or resolve symptoms, except in cases of ataxia where the cause is a vitamin-E deficiency. There are several devices that can help people with irreversible ataxia, such as canes and specialized computers to support mobility, speech, and precise muscle control. Viral ataxiaA virus can cause ataxia, although this is rare. Viruses that can cause ataxia include:
Ataxia caused by strokeStroke is a decrease in, or blockage of, the blood supply to the brain. Only around 1-4% of strokes occur in the cerebellum. Besides ataxia, a clot or bleed in the cerebellum can cause the following:
Treating the stroke might resolve the ataxia. Occupational and physical therapy can help manage any permanent damage. Tumor in the cerebellumTumors are abnormal cells that can grow in the brain or migrate there from a different part of the body. These tumors might be benign and not spread through the body. Malignant tumors grow and spread, leading to cancer. Symptoms of a tumor in the cerebellum include:
Diagnosis and treatment will vary based on age, the overall state of health, the course of the disease, the potential outlook, and other factors. Learn more about the types and symptoms of brain tumors here. Preserving overall brain health is the best way to avoid damage to the cerebellum. Reducing the risk of stroke, brain injury, and exposure to poisons can help prevent some forms of ataxia.
Regular consultation and management can help limit the physical restrictions of genetic ataxia. The cerebellum is one of three main brain sections. It sits at the lower back of the brain, below, the rear cerebrum and behind the brain stem. It only accounts for around 10% of the brain’s weight but contains up to 80% of all neurons in the organ. The cerebellum is primarily responsible for muscle control, including balance and movement. It also plays a role in other cognitive functions such as language processing and memory. Which cognitive function would likely be affected when the patient's temporal lobe is injured?Damage to the temporal lobes can result in:
Difficulty learning and retaining new information. Impaired factual and long-term memory. Persistent talking.
What sense is most likely to be impaired by an injury to the temporal lobe?Selective attention to visual or auditory input is common with damage to the temporal lobes (Milner, 1968). Left side lesions result in decreased recall of verbal and visual content, including speech perception. Right side lesions result in decreased recognition of tonal sequences and many musical abilities.
What are the functions of the brain quizlet?associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving.
Which strategies does the nurse keep in mind when communicating with a hearing impaired patient?Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but naturally, without shouting or exaggerating mouth movements. Shouting distorts the sound of speech and may make speech reading more difficult. Say the person's name before beginning a conversation.
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